The Project Management Office (PMO) sits within the Directorate of Planning, and has been established as a centre of excellence in project management, supporting the Senior Management Team to ensure effective project governance across the University's portfolio of strategic projects.
Working with key stakeholders, it owns and maintains the University's Project Management Methodology, with associated tools and templates, ensuring that it remains up to date, fit for purpose and that it reflects professional standards like PRINCE2. It also provides training and support in project management, available to all staff, there to help you successfully deliver your projects. Other key functions include the facilitation and provision of project assurance, including Independent Value Assurance Reviews on major projects.
PMO has overarching aim to ensure that the University does the right projects, and that projects are managed in the right way.
The PMO remit is based on the following objectives:
Support SMT to ensure oversight of the entire portfolio of strategic projects across the University.
As part of this role, to ensure appropriate governance structures are in place across the University at portfolio level, and on programmes and projects.
Own and maintain the University's project management methodology, to include related processes and procedures, templates and project management tools.
Promote buy-in across the University and monitor compliance on the application of the methodology for all institutionally strategic projects.
In doing so, to maintain a register of institutional projects which fall under the remit of the PMO.
Undertake project assurance on major strategic projects, and coordinate independent value assurance reviews where appropriate.
Report to SMT at regular intervals on the project portfolio which is tracked and supported by the PMO.
Provide training and advice to staff on good project management practice and methodology and raise awareness across the University.
To ensure effective communication with the University community on project management, promoting good practice.
Iain has over 18 years' experience at the University, during which time he has performed a number of project related roles across a diverse range of project types, each of differing scale and magnitude. This includes Digital projects, Estates-based construction projects, international projects, and strategic projects such as the award-winning Aberdeen 2040 strategy development process.
Iain is also well educated in this field, with an MSc in Project Management, along with the PRINCE2 Practitioner Qualification and the Association of Project Management PMQ. Both the experience gained and the qualifications achieved reflect a passion for project management more broadly, and for applying learning and new knowledge into every-day practice; hopefully underpinning both self and organisational improvement.
Emily has been at the University since 2022, joining the PMO team to support its portfolio of strategic projects. As a qualified PRINCE2 Practitioner, Emily has successfully provided expertise, assurance and support to a range of areas including Digital projects, Estates-based construction projects and other key strategic projects that fall under the PMO’s remit.
Her time within the PMO has strengthened her knowledge and understanding of Project Management, which has subsequently been applied to providing training to those new to project environments, Strategic Project Boards and also into every-day tasks that the PMO undertakes.
